Fence-post.



No. 862,928. PATENTED AUG. 13, 190?.

Q U. H. MYERS.

FENCE POST.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1906.

CHARLES HENRY MYERS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

FENCE-POST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1907.

Application filed July 24, 1906. Serial No- 327,532.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that 1, CHARLES HENRY MYERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Fence-Post, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in fence posts.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of fence posts, and to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficient one of great strength and durability, which will be fireproof, and thereby adapted for use along raih'oads as well as for general use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rot proof fence post, which will obviate the necessity of digging post holes, and which, when past usefulness, may be sold as scrap metal.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for securing bars and fence wires to the fence post, and to obviate the necessity of employing staples, when fence wires are used.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size'and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawingz Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fence post, constructed in accordance with this inven tion. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the base of the fence post. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the lower end of the upper section or member of the post. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the upper end of the base. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view, illustrating the manner of securing the fence wires to the post. Fig. 8 is a'detail perspective view of one of the wire engaging devices. Fig. 9 is a detail view of a fastening device for securing a bar to the fence post. Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line 10-1O of Fig. 2. Figs. 11 and 12 are detail views of a fastening device for permanent fences.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

1 designates a base or lower section, and 2 the upper section or member of a fence post, which is constructed of sheet steel, or other suitable material, and' which, while being adapted for general use as a fence post, is designed particularly for use in fencing railroads, as it is fire proof. The base or lower member of the fence post is rolled or otherwise formed from a tapering blank, and is provided with longitudinal ribs 3 and 4,

formed by grooving or corrugating the blank and tapered longitudinally so that the base, when completed, has parallel side edges and is of uniform diameter. The base is provided with straight flat portions 3* and 4; the straight flat portions 3 are located at the side edges of the post, and the other straight fiat portions 4 are interposed between and space the ribs from each other. The lower end 5 of the base is edgewise tapered, and enables the base to be readily driven into the ground, so as to obviate the necessity of digging post holes.

The rib 3, which is arranged longitudinally of the median line of the base, extends from one of the side 'faces of the base and forms a tapering groove, and the ribs 4, which project from the opposite face of the base, are located at opposite sides of the median line of the same. The tapering ribs form a stiff base of great strength and durability, and the ribs tap'er from the upper end of the base, which is enlarged by the tapering ribs, to the lower end of the said base. The lower ends of the tapering ribs merge into the lower end of the base, which is flat. The arrarrgeirfeht o f tli eti at the opposite faces of the base causes the base, which has a uniform diameter, to vary in thickness from the top to the bottom.

The upper end of the base is provided at opposite sides of the central or intermediate rib 3 with short vertical slots 6 to interlock with the lower end of the upper section or member 2 of the post. The upper section or member 2 is provided with a longitudinal rib 7, which tapers upwardly from the lower end of the section or member, and the latter is provided at opposite sides of the rib with vertical slots 8, which match the sides 6 of the base to enable the contiguous ends of the upper and lower sections or members of the post to interfit or interlock, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. The lower portion of the rib 7 of the upper section or member 2 fits within the intermediate rib 3 of the base 1, and as the ribs are oppositely tapered, a tapering intervening space 9 is formed between the overlapped portions of the ribs 3 and 7. The interfitting or interlocked ends of the two sections or members of the fence post are secured together and retained in their interlocked relation by means of a tapering key or wedge 10, which is driven into the tapering space 9. The tapering key, which is provided at its upper end with a projecting head 11, has a concaved inner face 12, and a convex or rounded outer face 13. The inner concave face 12 fits the outer face of the rib 7 of the upper section or' member of the fence post, and the rounded or convex face 13 of the key or wedge conforms to the configuration of the inner face of the intermediate rib 3 of the base. The head 11 engages the upper edge of the base, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. The upper section or member of the post, may be fastened to the base in any other desired manner.

inner face for eng gitudinal openings 19 to receive wedges 20, which are driven into the shanks 16, whereby the latter are expanded in the openings of the fence post and are securely fastened to the latter. The wedges 20 are provided with suitable heads, and a block of iron or other 1 5 suitable device is held against the post while the wedges are driven into the shanks of the fastening devices. The fastening devices 17 are provided with wire engaging hooks, but fastening devices 21 may be employed for securing bars to the fence post. The fastening de- 20 vice 21. has a split shank similar to that heretofore described, and it; is provided with a. head having a flat ing the bars or other fencing material.

The wedges of the fastening devices heretofore de- 25 scribed are adapted to be withdiawn, and the spread shanks may be readily crnnpressed to permit the removal of a fence. However, when a fence is designed for permanent use, the fastening device 22, illustrated in. Figs. 11 and 1.2 of the drawing, is employed. The

fastening device 22 consists of a shank adapted to be passed} cough perforation of the fence post and pro- L "vided at one end with a hook for engaging a fence wire.

The fence wire is arranged at one of the side faces of the post, and the shank of the fastening device 22 is bent against the other side face of the post, and extends in the opposite direction. from the hooks, whereby the bill of the latter is hel d firmly in engagement with the post.

It will be seen that the fence post, which possesses great strength and durability, is both. tire proof and rot proof, and that it is adapted to effect great saving in both time and labor in the erection of fences, as the tapering base may be readily driven into the ground and obviates the necessity of digging a pest hole.

Having thus fully described my invention, what ll claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

.l. A base for fence posts constructed of sheet metal, and provided with l'.-ipering ribs formed by grooving the sheet metal and providing an enlarged upper end for the base.

2. A fence post comprising a base provided with a longitudinal rib forming a groove, and an upper section or member provided with a rib fitting in the groove of the base, said base and upper section or member being provided with means for interlocking their contiguous ends.

A fence post (.Olllpl'lSlllg a base provided with a. lon gitudinal rib forming a groove. and an upper section or member provided with a rib fitting in the groove of the base. said base and upper section or member being provided at their contiguous ends with matching slots forming interlocking portions.

-t. A fence post. comprising a base having a tapering longitudinal rib fornnng a groove. on upper section or member having an oppositely tapered rib fitting in the said groove said base and upper section or member having overlapped interlocked portions. and the oppositely tapered ribs forming an intervening tapering space, and a wedge. lilting in the tapering space and securing the base and the upper section or member in their interlocked relation.

5. The combination with a fence post having an opeie ing. of a fastening device consistipg of' a head, a spill shank having an opening, and a wedge adapted to fit within the opening of the shank for spreading the latter.

(l. The combination with a fence post having a polygonal opening. of a fastening device consisting of a. head. a. polygonal shank fitting in the opening of the fence post and split longitudinally, and a wedge provided with a head and adapted to be driven into the split. portion of the shank for spreading the latter.

7. A base for fence posts constructed of' sheet metal and having a lower flat end tapered edgewise. said base bein also provided with ribs tapering longitudinally and menu ing into the lower flat edgewise tapered end of the base.

8. A fence post. base construeter'l of sheet metal provided with tapering ribs, alternately arranged at the opposite faces of the base to form a base of uniform width and varying thickness.

9. A fence post base constructed of sheet; metal and pro vided with longitudinal ribs. and having straight flat por tions located at the side edges of the base and arranged between and spacing the said ribs from each other.

10. A fence post base constructed from a tapering iflanl; of sheet metal, and having tapering ribs formed by groov ing the sheet metal and providing a base of varying lhicle ness and uniform width.

11. A fence post base constructed of longitmlinally corrugated sheet metal, and having a uniform diameter and varying in thickness throughout its entire length.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoingas my own. i have hereto affixed by signature. in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES II l lNlLY Y l lllh'.

Witnesses ljur'rox A. Mixann, HUXVARD M. FOHDHAM.

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